What is spinal stenosis?

Spinal stenosis is a narrowing of the spinal canal that puts pressure on the spinal cord or nerves. It develops gradually and is more common with age, but an injury can worsen its symptoms. It most often affects the lower back and neck.

Wear in the small facet joints at the back of the spine often contributes to that narrowing, which is why facet joint syndrome and stenosis frequently show up together on the same imaging.

Symptoms & treatment

• Leg pain, numbness, or weakness that worsens with walking or standing and eases when bending forward or sitting
• Lower-back or neck pain
• Balance difficulty (with neck involvement)

After examination and imaging, most cases are managed without surgery using physical therapy, spinal decompression, and pain management.

Long Island offices & service areas

We treat spinal stenosis across Nassau and Suffolk County from offices including Medford, Islandia, East Islip, Mineola, Bohemia, Smithtown and Stony Brook. Find your nearest office →

Not near one of our offices? We can help arrange transportation to your appointment, or coordinate your care with providers in our Long Island network — call (631) 560-8357 to ask.

Spinal stenosis FAQ

Can spinal stenosis be treated without surgery?

Often, yes. Many patients improve with physical therapy, spinal decompression, and pain management; surgery is considered when symptoms are severe or progressive.

Why does it hurt more when I walk?

Standing and walking narrow the canal further; bending forward or sitting opens it, which is why symptoms ease in those positions.

Did my accident cause my spinal stenosis?

Stenosis itself usually develops gradually as the canal narrows over years, so an accident more often makes an existing narrowing symptomatic than creates it. A crash or fall can add disc bulging, swelling, and inflammation to a canal that already had little room to spare. The exam and imaging help distinguish long-standing changes from the new injury.

Why can I ride a bike but not walk to the corner?

Cycling keeps you leaning forward, which opens the spinal canal and takes pressure off the nerves, while upright walking narrows it again. The same mechanism explains why people with stenosis feel better leaning on a shopping cart. That pattern is a useful clue at your evaluation, and forward-flexion-based exercise is often built into the treatment plan.

What are the warning signs I should not wait on?

Get evaluated promptly for weakness that is worsening, numbness spreading into both legs, or new trouble with balance or coordination. Seek emergency care for numbness in the groin or inner thighs, or any loss of bladder or bowel control. Those point to significant nerve or spinal cord compression rather than ordinary stenosis pain.